Machine for twisting and spooling wire fencing



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. D. CURTIS.

MACHINE FOR TWISTING AND SPOOLING'WIRE FENCING.

Kai/messes N. PETERS. Phnio'lithngrapher, Washlngian. B. C.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

, J.v D. CURTIS. MACHINE FOR TWISTING AND SPOOLING WIRE FENCING. No. 309,605.

Patented Dec. 28. 1884.

llnrrnn STATES Parnnir warren...

JOHN D. CURTIS, OF \VORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR TWISTING AND SPOOLING WIRE FENCING..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,605, dated December 23, 188

Application filed August 3, 1883.

To aZZ whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN D. CURTIS, of the city and county of W'orcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Twisting and Spooling \Vire Fencing; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a top or plan view of a twisting and spooling machine embracing my improvements. Fig. 2 represents a side View of said twisting and spooling machine, looking in the direction indicated by arrow a, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents avertieal transverse sec tion throughthe twisting and spooling machine, taken on line A B, Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by arrow b, same figure; and Fig. 4: represents a vertical trans verse section through the twisting and spooling machine, taken on line (3 D, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrow 0, same figure.

My invention relates to machines for twisting-and spooling wire automatically; and it consists 'in'certain novel features of construction, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

To enable those skilled in the artto which my invention belongs to make and use the same, I will proceed to describe it more in de tail.

In the drawings, E E represent beds or supporting parts for the four upright standards F and G, all of which are bolted or otherwise secured to said beds or supports F. The standards F are each provided with bearings H for the small friction-rolls I toturn in,studs (I being passed through saidbearings and rolls for the above purpose. About midway be tween the ends of beds E E are also secured, to the top of the same, bearings .I, provided with studs cl, upon which friction-rolls I are arranged to turn, said rolls,in this instance, being made a little larger than the frictionrolls I. The friction-rolls I and I are arranged upon a line, and in this instance in a triangular form, with three in a set, and are at the proper distance apart to receive and hold in position the large rims K K, and at the same (Nomodel) time admit of their turning freely between the same. The rims K K are fastened to the ends of longitudinal rods L, and constitute a part of the twisting and spooling frame M. Said tMlStGP-fl'ftlll is turned by means of a pulley, N, and belt-connection with any suitable and convenient drivingmeehanism. Said pulley N is secured upon a hollow sleeve, 0, (see dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 2,) which is formed upon or secured to the hub of rim K. Said sleeve 0 extends through the bearing 1? on the upper end of standard G, and has a collar, 1 secured to it outside of said bearing. Therefore, with said collar upon one side of the bearing P, and the hub of rim K upon the other side, the twisting and spooling frame and parts attached thereto are kept in their proper longitudinal positions. The spindle Q is in this instance supported by passing it through plates R, in turn supported by the longitudinal rods L, by passing said rods through the outer ends of said plates. The spindle Q is provided with the usual head f, at one end, and pin for-holding it in position, at its other end; also, with aforked lever, h, and pinst' i, for preventing the spool as the strand is coiled thereon from turning upon said spindle. The spindle Q and the spool thereon are turned to coil the twisted strand, as before stated, by a s um-gear, S, arranged to turn on a stud secured to the rim K, trayeling over and in mesh with a larger'spurgear, T, secured to the inner end of a longitudinal horizontal shaft, 'U, connection being made from the spindle to said spur-gear S through spur-gear S, also arranged to turn on a stud secured to rim K, journal j, small bevel-gear 7c, and large bevel-gear Z, arranged upon one end of the spindle. In this instance a backward springing motion is given to the spool-spindle, so as to properly coil the twisted strand, even though it become quite taut, by fitting the small bevelgear is loosely over journal j, and arranging astrong spiral spring, in, over said spindle between the bevelgear k and spur-gear S, with one end of said spring held by the bevel-gear and the other end by the spur-gear, as shown by dotted lines a in Fig. 2. The shaft U, to theinner end of which the spur-gear T is secured, is fitted to turn in its bearings, and to its outer end is secured a friction-pulley, V. A friction-brake, XV, is also arranged under pulley V, provided with a weight, X, which may be adjusted forward or back upon the lever W of the brake W, to increase or decrease the resistance offered in turning the shaftU and its spur-gear T. The purpose of this arrangement is to admit of the spur-gear T turning with the spur-gear S in case the fencestrand becomes taut beyond the limit of spiral spring m. It is also obvious that as the spool is filled with the twisted fence-strand, and a greater circumference is produced, the spool must turn with proportionately less speed to properly coil and distribute the strand, and this decreased speed is produced, as will be seen, by allowing the spur-gear T to turn with the spur-gear S, as before described, which is the principal purpose of the aforesaid construction and arrangement. The barbed and twisted fence-strand is evenly distributed over the surface of the spool from one end to the other as it is coiled thereon by its passing over a sprocket-wheel, Y, fitted over a horizontal shaft, Z, having right and left hand threads 0 cut in the same. Said sprocket-wheel is provided with a forked swivel-finger, p, which, when the sprocketwheel is turned by the forward movement of the barbed strand, travels laterally in one direction and then in the other 011 double screwshaft Z. \Vhen the forked finger p arrives at one end of the threaded part of said shaft its motion is reversed, so as to travel in the opposite direction, by coming in contact with one or the other of the cam-surfaces g, which turns said finger so that it will travel in the reverse thread to the one last traversed by the finger. If desired, more than three friction-rolls in a set may be used in connection with the end rims, K K, of the twisting and spooling frame M.

By the construction of my twisting and spooling machine in the manner hereinbefore described, it will be seen that the machine may be run at a Very high rate of speed, and do more work than any other twisting and spooling machine now in use, and without liability of accident or injury to the attendants.

My twisting and spooling machine is es pecially designed to be used in connection with a barb-fence machine which does not feed the barbed Wire forward continuously, but at regular intervals.

Having described my improvements in twisting and spooling machines, what I claim therein as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the friction-rolls I and I, the twisting and spooling frame M, and means for supporting said rolls and operating the twisting and spooling frame, of spindle Q, bevel-gear l, journal j, bevel-gear 7c, spring m, shaft U, the brake for retarding the rotation of said shaft, and devices intermediate said shaft and spring m, substantially as described.

2, The combination, with friction-rolls I and I, and means for supporting the same, rims K and K, and rods L, of plates R, spindle Q, bevel-gears Z and 7c, journal j, spiral spring m, and spur-gears S and S, and means for operating gear S, all constructed and operated substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, with friction-rolls I and I, and'means for supporting the same, and twisting and spooling frame M, and means for operating the same, substantially as described, of the spindle Q, provided with the forked lever h, shaft U, spur-gear T, frictionpulley V, friction-brake W, lever W, weight X, and the devices intermediate the spindle Q and shaft, U, all constructed and operated substantially as shown and described.

JOHN D. CURTIS.

Witnesses:

J OHN O. DEWEY,

ALBERT A. BARKER. 

